Right where this metal scaffold pole cuts across those two streets (top: St. Stephen’s Rd, bot: Richmond Rd–and left of the pole is called Lansdown Rd) was the site of an 18th C turnpike.
These ladders stretch three scaffolding levels. This was the lowest of three. The scaffolding went up the height of the tower, 30 meters, or so. It was also raining hard.
I took the sunny photo back in early November 2006. St Stephen’s put it up early to survey the repairs needed. These repairs are being carried out by Minerva Stone Conservators, who waited until spring for the “lime window.” As responsible conservators, all masonry repairs are being carried out with lime mortar, which takes a long time to set and cannot set during potential periods of frost. Below two conservators apply a dry lime mortar in the masonry joints and apply a cotton-like substance over sections.
Designed to serve the spiritual needs of NE Bath by James Wilson and built between 1840-1845, St Stephen’s Church on Lansdown Road in Walcot cost 6,000 pounds (*today it cost 60,000 just for the scaffolding!) “It is broad and somewhat Georgian in proportion, and still in the mix-and-match style of the 1830s,, with lancets, but also Perp-style octagonal buttresses. The tower, similar to the W towers of Ely Cathedral (c.1400) or Antwerp Cathedral (1519), is a very imporant visual focus on Bath’s N slopes. Starting square and E.E., then at once turning octagonal, with detached big octagonal corner pinnacles connected with the octagonal, with detached big octagonal corner pinnacles connected with the octagon by traceried flying buttresses; a smaller octagon on top with pinnacles is arranged in the same way. The nave and transept are very be-pinnacled, with pierced parapets. Two-light lancet windows and cusped Y-tracery. The church remained unconsecrated for some forty years until 1881, after which W.J. Willcox built the very wide apsidal chancel in 1882-1883, together with the vestry and organ chamber (at a cost of 3,000 pounds). The handsome painted ceiling, 1886, is by W.J. Willcox, executed by H.&F. Davis. The NE aisle was added in 1866 for the use of the Royal School, presumably by Wilson & Willcox, in a harsh Gothic typical of the alter work of the firm and contrasting with the style of 1840. –Stained glass. E Window, Lady Chapel by Mark Angus, 1983, the ‘Centenary,’ depicting St Stephen’s transformation, on the bridge between life and death t the moement of martyrdom. With distorted ambiguity between pain and repose, the body rises amid red flames on a blue ground. –Font and font cover. Marble, florid Gothic, dated 1843. –Transept ceiling and reredos. By Sir T. G. Jackson [of Oxford University’s building program fame], c. 1900, then working on the Abbey. Slade, Smith and Winrow converted the crypt to a parish room in 1993-1994.”–Michael Forsyth, Bath (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 265-266.

Here’s the cornerstone to the apsidal chancel. Yes, a Masters of the Arts symbolically laid this stone, possibly touched it but probably didn’t carve or do anything artistic with it. (Perhaps it was his brilliant idea to repeat Grace. *Also, just noted that the degree makes his name off-center, as if it was added as an afterthought, either because he earned it later and had it carved into the stone, or feared it might be taken away so he could have it filled in with his name remaining centered.) I have no idea why everyone in the UK insists on putting their educational degrees on everything. Here it is on a cornerstone. I’ve seen it in books, presentations, and even tombstones. Almost without fail, they also include (Hons), if applicable, or even organizations they belong to (that they had to simply pay to join).
Another thing to note with this CORNERstone is one side’s red tint. There is a local red algae that’s around here and the red shade indicates the colder north facade of this church where the sun doesn’t warm the stone and evaporate the dampness.

Summarized from All Saints’ Website:
An early church is mentioned by Pope Adrian IV in a 1156 Bull. Jordanus, the first vicar, arrives at Weston in 1297. In the 15th Century, “All Hallows” Church is built but is demolished in 1830 to create a larger space for a growing community with only its original tower surviving. The church bells were recast by Thomas Belbie at Chewstoke in 1739, and were repaired and retuned between 1952-1953.

The new church of “All Saints” was consecrated on June 2, 1832. It shares some similarities with Pinch’s other works at St. Mary the Virgin, Bathwick and St. Saviour, Larkhall, although both of those examples were newbuilds and are defined by tall western towers, whereas All Saints is more diminished. New seating with new transcepts and a chancel were added between 1880 and 1893, and new “clergy and choir vestries were added in 1909.”[1] The church furnishings and internal program have been remodeled several times since then and recently a restoration was undertaken of the tower. Near the tower door is a 19th century font, and on the West Gallery are displayed William and Mary’s royal coat of arms.

On the south aisle there is the St Alphege window, which “commemorates the famous saint whom tradition says was born in Weston (St Alphege became the Abbot of Bath Abbey and then Archbishop of Canterbury). Also depicted is Guthram, King of the Danes, submitting to King Alfred and accepting Christianity.” In the south transept, there is a “monument to Alderman Sherston dated 1641. He was Mayor of Bath in 1632. “In a niche in the north wall of the chancel is found the oldest monument in the church from the 12-13th century. This is a stone coffin lid that was found under the south porch during the rebuilding of the church in 1830.” Other monuments include a 1699 honoring John Harrington of Kelston, a monument to “Dr William Oliver (of biscuit fame) whose family owned Weston Manor for many years.”[1]

There are over 90 tablets in the churchyard and many more within the church with some going back to the 12th Century. The church kept excellent records which indicated that most of those buried here had no connection with the town but chose the spot for their final repose because it was an idyllically isolated community far from the smog and congestion of Bath. This popularity lasted for over 200 years. I’ll post more on this later but one includes Thomas Baldwin’s monument to Thomas Warr Attwood.
There are over 90 tablets in the churchyard and many more within the church with some going back to the 12th Century. The church kept excellent records which indicated that most of those buried here had no connection with the town but chose the spot for their final repose because it was an idyllically isolated community far from the smog and congestion of Bath. This popularity lasted for over 200 years. I’ll post more on this later but one includes Thomas Baldwin’s monument to Thomas Warr Attwood.

“Other than the simple C15 Perp[endicular] w[est] tower, the church was rebuilt in 1830-2 by John Pinch the Younger. E Harbottle of Exeter added the chancel and transecpts in 1893m and Mowbray A. Green a memorial chapel in 1921. Nave and aisles. Tall lancet-like three-light windows with four-centred arches and Perp tracery. Battlemetns and pinnacles. Arcade of tall piers of Perp section carrying four-centred arches. The nave is broad and low with a rear gallery….” [2]
“Plate: Chalice and Cover 1572; Apostle Spoon 1614; Chalice and Paten 1692; Flagon 1739. ” [3]

I’m not sure who designed this mausoleum for Ralph Allen and various other family members but this is where he lies. He did not have children so his estate went to distant relatives, which is why his house ended up belonging to a rich Roman Catholic cardinal and then became a Catholic school. This is in the small parish churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin in Claverton, which is below Claverton Down. Again, I don’t know why he was buried here in this town versus Combe Down or Bath proper, but true to his life, he used his death to advertise his life in stone. As you can see, the pyramid has required many tie rods over the years, the repair supports almost become a structure in themselves. (The structure was recently restored in 1965.)